Allison, how annoying for both the cable and the post office! Glad to hear that Culley is going with you, although I figured he probably was. That's too bad about Stanford. What is GCU? Is she doing some kind of music program, or was it psychology--or am I totally off base on both?

Jen, sounds like you're having a good week. Hope you and DH get to do something fun--what are you thinking of?

Michele, sorry that DD didn't get into BYU. I hope she's not too disappointed and will be able to make other plans. Did she want to get into BYU for a particular program or because she's a newly minted LDS and would feel comfortable there? Hey, there's always BYU Hawaii, and you could visit!

After our meeting with the kitchen/bath designer (part of the contractor deal), we had our kitchen floor (Marmoleum), cabinets and accent tile chosen as well as the bathroom vanity counter--all from samples she had. When we got to the counter place to talk about what we needed, it turns out what we chose was discontinued, but they had a remnant. Went to the flooring place, and it turns out the flooring we chose was discontinued in 2008. Boy, those were really old samples the designer had! Went to the tile store and picked out the main tile for the kitchen backsplash and then spent quite a while on the bathroom tile. Chose all that, but this morning we decided it just wasn't what we really wanted so we went back to the counter store and chose another counter, then went back to the tile store and picked some brighter tile for the bathroom. Still haven't found a kitchen floor to replace the discontinued flooring. Dagmar, if you read this, all I can say is buy a house that's move-in ready!

__________________
Sheila

The grand essentials of happiness are something to do, something to love and something to hope for - A. K. Chalmers.

Sheila, is Marmoleum discontinued, or just the color you wanted? How annoying to have made the choices (which is a painful process, I think) and then have to start over. I got lucky with my bathroom redo in that I found what I liked pretty quickly and cheaply. Sometimes having a low budget helps because it limits your choices!

Allison, I take it Culley is your office cat? I hope he enjoys the new digs and cooperates when it comes time for him to relocate. And screw Time Warner, they say that sort of thing to everyone.

Jen, happy anniversary! I hope you have a good time, whatever you do, and that the weather is decent. It's definitely feeling like spring here, although I know March can be tough.

Megan, good luck with that 5K this weekend! And with the mean little dog.

I had a pretty good day today although I did hear back from that job I interviewed for (and was offered) last month - turns out they can't fit me into their budget at the moment. I'm glad I didn't accept the original offer and quit my job! I may do some per diem work for them, which would be nice, and they're still interested in bringing me on at some point. I'm not in as much of a hurry now anyway, so I'm not too upset.

And I saw the psychiatric doc today (I honestly don't know what to call him, he's not a therapist). He was very nice and we had a good talk. He prescribed a mild anti-depressant and gave me the name of a therapist to see. And he encouraged me to see an orthopedist about my bum leg. I left there feeling I've got a plan, that there are actions I can take to get myself going forward again.

__________________I want to free myself from the burden of inaction. I want to raise myself to any plane I can imagine. ---Crowded House

Sheila I won't have much money left over for renos by the time we're done. I don't need everything new - just stuff that works.

I am hoping there are enough funds left to put on a new coat of paint inside and to buy new living room furniture - ours was cheap and has totally fallen apart after 6 years of use. The patio furniture will be used - probably from Craig's list - as will anything else we need.

I don't see DH finding any sort of employment soon. So we will not be spending any money that we don't have to spend. I am determined to walk away from this with no debt and with a reduction in living costs due to not paying rent any more. All the houses I've looked at to buy have their expenses - property tax, utilities, plus some money set aside for unexpected repairs - come in at about half of what we are paying for rent.

I'm almost 56 years old. I need to have something put away for retirement by the time I'm 70. Saving for that will start after the new house is bought. Since I'm self-employed I will get the bare minimum of pension from the government - not enough to even rent an apartment in Toronto.

So the house will allow me to live and even have a bit of money for entertainment. I will always have to work but I will be able to cut down on the amount of work after I'm 65. That's the plan anyway.

The one thing I will allow myself is a trip to Africa. I have wanted to go there since I was a tiny child and I'm fulfilling my one major life dream by doing so. I hope to do that in 2014.

I had a meh day yesterday. I think it was a combination of not liking my big boss (no news there, right?) and how he runs things, and too many days spent sitting in the office over the winter to dwell on it. In another month I'll be outside starting the spring field season, and soon enough be complaining about how hot it is. I was a little sad that I didn't get as much out of yoga as I usually do yesterday bc I couldn't shut my brain off. When I got home my dear BF tried to distract me & cheer me up by suggesting a glass of wine and finally finishing our Monopoly game from two weekends ago. He won, but it did the trick for the time being. I hope today is a bit better.

There is a dog at the local humane society that I swear could be my Emma's brother. He is the same unique light brown color, looks the same, right age, right down to having white spots on his chest and toes. But before my brain could even go to the idea of having two dogs (two dogs with that much energy! oh my!) I saw the tag "doesn't get along with other dogs". It is still sad for me to think of a dog so similar to my sweetie needing a home, though. Alison, I'm glad you're taking Culley with you to your new home.

Dagmar, having the financial freedom to outright own your own house sounds great. And a trip to Africa sounds wonderful, too.

Steph, sorry the company can't fit you into their budget right now. At least you do have a job and they were realistic. And glad you got to the doctor and have a plan to enact. Let us know how your therapist & orthopedic visits go.

Sheila, wow, bummer about all the discontinued tiles and counters. I wonder why a designer wouldn't update their sample books for 5 years. Glad you got it all picked out in the end, though. Are you getting excited about your new kitchen & bath?

I'm not FB friend with Gary, but even if he's not reading this, I'm sending mental "Happy Birthdays!" and "Speedy Recoveries!" across the country. Alison, if you don't mind, would you post that we're all thinking of him?

Y'all are so amazing and inspiring! For the last three days I've forced myself back on track (mainly with no sugar except small amounts of dark chocolate). I've lost a half pound and feel like I'm ready for a better March. Traveling Michele said Get Focused Now! which did help. Paperclippy thank for your comment as well. I love Megan and Mudpie's suggestion that we refocus and recommit together, so I say a hearty yes to that. If anyone would like to join me for a refocused and recommitted March let me know, I'm on board. I loved what ICU Wishes said, that self-flagellation burns no calories. Laughed out loud because it's true. Shannon, who said we all slip a little, at first I thought that I slipped more than a little, now being ten pounds over my ideal weight range of 180-185. But I rethought that and said, OK, I slipped more than a little but it's still not horrible to have gained back ten of the thirty pounds I lost last year... as long as I STOP THE SLIDE NOW.

This first week of March will be hard. I asked my brother what he wants for his birthday and he chose a restaurant where you get a four-course meal with a beer with each course. Karen has set me up for two more elegant restaurant visits this week as well (do any of you have Restaurant Week like we do in Denver?). So week one will be damage control, week two Karen goes on a cleanse and I may join her. Goal for March: lose four pounds from where I am today.

Thanks again all of you I can't tell you how much I appreciate the support, and you all have my support if you need to shed a few winter pounds along with me!

Good morning! Yesterday and Tuesday were good days. My weight is back under 140 by a smidge, and I'm miraculously feeling a lot better. Strange how that works. I've exercised now three days in a row and feel good about that, too. This weekend is going to be hard - DH's birthday is Friday so he has made plans to have DSS over Friday night and take him down for a birthday lunch with my MIL on Saturday, dinner out with friends Saturday and then again Sunday, then dinner our next Wednesday with the same friends from Saturday because it is her birthday and the restaurant gives a free birthday meal. I'm a little intimidated at all the eating out - I can control dinner Friday, lunch Saturday and dinner Sunday (with higher than normal things, but better that they could be), but I have no idea where we will go Saturday night. I'm trying not to let that freak me out.

Megan - sorry you don't click with your boss. That makes it frustrating, I know. I hope the weather lets you get back outside soon.

Dagmar - a trip to Africa sounds wonderful. Ooo.

Sheila - those were some seriously old samples from your designer, wow. That is annoying. I would lock down completely if I had to make those selections twice - good luck.

Steph - I'm so sorry about the job.

Jen - happy anniversary!

Allison - your Time Warner saga is annoying. My brother has the same thing as Jen - TW has a cable at the road, but won't run it the 1/5 of a mile up their driveway, say it would cost about $3k to do it. That is insane.

Chris - I'm all for a recommitted March. The first week will be hard for me too with birthday dinners all over, but the rest of it should be fine. DSS's birthday is the 9th, but I can resist cheese pizza and have a small piece of cake (or not) and be good. We don't have restaurant weeks around me, but we do have "Taste of..." days where a lot of local restaurants set up boots on the square or somewhere central.

good day everyone!

__________________-ShannonI may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday.

Allison, how annoying for both the cable and the post office! Glad to hear that Culley is going with you, although I figured he probably was. That's too bad about Stanford. What is GCU? Is she doing some kind of music program, or was it psychology--or am I totally off base on both?

CGU is Claremont Graduate University. I think she will get in there. She's talked to several people there as well as a professor who she really admires--he was at her campus last week and she went to his speech and then book signing where she introduced herself and then to a special session where she was one of 6 people discussing things with him. Keep your fingers crossed!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steph7409

Allison, I take it Culley is your office cat? I hope he enjoys the new digs and cooperates when it comes time for him to relocate. And screw Time Warner, they say that sort of thing to everyone.

Yep. Office cat Culley. Today we "catch" him and relocate him.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megan1982

I'm not FB friend with Gary, but even if he's not reading this, I'm sending mental "Happy Birthdays!" and "Speedy Recoveries!" across the country. Alison, if you don't mind, would you post that we're all thinking of him?

Of course I will!

Today is the last day. I have a huge list of things to accomplish. I've got to be running. Update later.

Sheila, reading about your problems picking out colors reminds me of trying to pick out wallpaper . I have tried to do this several times was never able to do so. The problem was with me, not someone else , just when I found a pattern I liked I would make the mistake of looking in one more book, the result I could never make up my mind and never got any new wallpaper ! I hadn't learned to quit while I was ahead.
Dagmar, about paying cash for your house, good idea and will give you good bargaining power when you find the right one. I have shared that my DS is planning to move to Florida. He has a house in California he is going to sell and he tells me he will pay cash for a house in Florida. When I saw that his wife just bought a Michael Kors handbag I realized he'd better have a house that is paid for.
Megan, I am on FB with Gary and also post on another forum with him, on that forum his wife Angie gives us updates. I will let you know next time she posts. Her last post was after surgery and she said he had come through the surgery well.

I have more to say but I feel lousy with my cold really in my head now and I'm swamped at work. Plus I came in to ants all over my desk. I can't figure out the source but they're driving me crazy!

I'll just add that March will be a challenge for me as well. I wanted to be 120 or below by my birthday (Sunday) but I won't make it (123.6 today). This weekend will have all sorts of unknowns that dh is planning. Then my girls come home for Spring Break, and then dh and I take our cruise. I will be lucky to not gain in March. Sigh.....

Bargoo, thanks for the updates on Gary. I am sending good thoughts in his direction.

Michele, haven't you been sick for ages now? I hope you feel better soon! I hate it when ants show up, they're hard to get rid of.

Megan, I hope someone adopts the dog who looks like Emma's brother.

Good luck to those who are recommitting in March!

Our ultrasound this morning looked good. I also got the explanation for why their movement pattern changed -- before they were side by side, both laying vertically. Now one of them is vertical right in the middle of my belly, and the other is laying horizontally across the top. No wonder I stopped feeling anything on the sides! In any case it was reassuring, along with feeling the gymnastics they've been doing the past day or so. The doctor seemed very happy with my 30lb weight gain so far and said I don't need to worry about gaining too much weight. Kind of a hard thing to wrap my mind around, but as long as the babies are healthy it's all good.

The problem right now: my belly is outgrowing my maternity clothes. I found only one place online that specifically makes maternity clothes for people having twins or more, but they are way too expensive. Hopefully the summer styles will come out soon and there will be a lot of flowy empire waist sundresses and such. Too bad I'm not skilled at sewing!

Jessica, that's good news from the Doctor, I have never had twins but my coworker did and since she had already had a single birth suspected she might be having twins because of the extra activity this was before the doctor confirmed it.
You don't need a lot of maternity clothes 3 or 4 outfits and wash and rewear.

The problem right now: my belly is outgrowing my maternity clothes. I found only one place online that specifically makes maternity clothes for people having twins or more, but they are way too expensive. Hopefully the summer styles will come out soon and there will be a lot of flowy empire waist sundresses and such. Too bad I'm not skilled at sewing!

Glad the babies are doing so well! Is there perhaps a mothers of twins group in your area? They may have some kind of maternity clothing exchange (if you don't mind gently worn clothing) or perhaps they know of cheaper places.

__________________
Sheila

The grand essentials of happiness are something to do, something to love and something to hope for - A. K. Chalmers.

Glad to hear the update on Gary and the update on the gymnast babies as well!

What a day!

Culley was caught early this morning and quietly rode to the new office where we stuck him in the bathroom (with litter box, food and his carrier). He meowed a lot, and we eventually let him out to roam. He was pretty loud and kept looking for a place to roost. He's found a couple places where he seems to be comfortable, but we put him back in the bathroom after an hour or so and now he's napping quietly in his carrier.

The office is about 80% organized. I think we'll be all settled tomorrow sometime. In the meantime, I need to go and run errands to pick up items that FIL couldn't locate.